Police dog killed in SW Portland police shooting: What we know

Portland police were involved in a car chase and a shootout Wednesday morning in Southwest Portland that left an officer wounded, a police dog dead and three suspects in custody. Here's a rundown of key events:

Portland police officers spotted three intruders coming out of the Blumenthal uniform store on Southwest Barbur Boulevard and getting into a white Suburban. Police chased the SUV to Southwest Capitol Highway, where it crashed into a utility pole at Lobelia Street. Three men ran from the SUV and a canine officer let his dog go after one of the fleeing suspects.

David Bell, who lives on Southwest 60th Avenue, saw someone running through his yard about 4 a.m., pulled on jeans and a T-shirt and chased him down the street. The gunman looked like he had a shaved head and had blood on his face. He was about 5-feet-10 and wearing baggy pants, Bell said. "He looked a bit frumpy, " Bell recalled. The gunman kept repeating: "I'm sorry. I'm confused."

The police K-9, who recently passed state certification, was found beneath a hedge near the scene of the shooting. The animal appeared to have suffered at least one fatal gunshot wound, said Sgt. Pete Simpson, a Portland Police Bureau spokesman.

The canine killed early Wednesday in Portland was a German shepherd. Belgian malinois are also commonly used in police work. Both are bred for law enforcement work. Oregon imports most of its police dogs from Europe, which has a long experience in training the animals. From the get go, they undergo extensive training.